Wellesley Newspaper says a college is no place for free speech!

All across the country, conservative speakers have been barred from presenting at colleges due to violent student protests. Many around the country have looked on in horror at these demonstrations and cancellations and urged college administrators to take action to restore order on campus and protect the free inquiry of truth.

But now, some are condoning violence against conservative speakers on campus. Recently, The Wellesley News, the student newspaper on campus at Wellesley College argued that shutting down some speech is acceptable –particularly if that speech offends liberal values. Basically, the paper argues that silencing some speakers doesn’t harm free speech if those speakers espouse, “hate speech” – which is often just code for conservative speech.

Let’s urge this publication to reconsider their position by sending a protest petition of our own. Instead of violently preventing speech, let’s send a respectful petition asking these students to consider the merits of their argument.

A college campus is supposed to be a place where students search for truth freely. In the marketplace of ideas, the best ideas win by merit of their argument and validity – not by what may or may not offend a particular group of students.

Recently, several of prominent conservatives have been physically prevented from speaking on campuses due to violent protests – protests that The Wellesley News condones.

For example, at Pomona College in California, Manhattan Institute scholar Heather MacDonald was prevented from speaking on campus by student protests because she has been critical of some aspects of the Black Lives Matter movement. Student protesters physically barricaded the building where she was set to present and prohibited other students from listening to her address.

Similarly, protests at Middlebury College in Vermont against conservative scholar Charles Murray were so violent that one professor who was protecting Murray ended up in the hospital.

These protests have to stop. Students need to learn how to communicate and reason, not push and shout. It is essential for our societal order that the next generation learn how to engage with different ideas and speakers – even if they disagree.Discourse in our country is at an all time low, and policies like the one advocated by students at Wellesley will only make things worse.

Let’s speak truth to The Wellesley News and ask them to respect the search for knowledge and truth through the important (and classically liberal) value of free speech.

Sign this petition now!

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Respect the classically liberal value of free speech!

Dear Editors of The Wellesley News,

All across the country, conservative speakers have been barred from presenting at colleges due to violent student protests. Recently, you editorialized that such protests against some speech are acceptable – particularly if that speech offends liberal values. Basically, you argued that shutting down some speakers doesn’t harm free speech if those speakers espouse “hate speech” – which is often just code for conservative speech.

We urge you to consider the merits of your argument.

A college campus is supposed to be a place where students search for truth freely. In the marketplace of ideas, the best ideas win by merit of their argument and validity – not by what may or may not offend a particular group of students. And not by shutting down discussion of ideas with which we disagree. The proper remedy for offensive speech is more speech, not less.

Wouldn’t it be better if students on your campus learned to engage with and evaluate ideas they disagree with rather than merely silencing them? We urge you to respect the search for knowledge and truth by respecting the ability of all to speak without fear.